


Hot Topic Hottie

by lancethelivingmeme



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gay Keith, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Mall AU, bi lance, god they're oblivious, keith is just... a blessing, keith works at hot topic, klance, lance works at sephora, they/them pronouns for Pidge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2018-09-25 21:48:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9847076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lancethelivingmeme/pseuds/lancethelivingmeme
Summary: Lance has a huge crush on one of the employees at the Hot Topic across from the Sephora he works in at Voltron Mall. Little does he know that the feelings are the same for Keith, who can't stop staring at the gorgeous Sephora worker. When Lance's co-workers manage to shove him in on a bribe, nobody can predict what happens next.





	1. The mysterious boy in Hot Topic

**Author's Note:**

> What is this. I literally am writing this because my friend said "I totally see Keith working in Hot Topic"
> 
> Please forgive me for this piece of filth.

God, he was hot.

Lance McClain couldn't stop staring into the Hot Topic right across from him. He worked in Sephora, mostly due to his love for all things beauty, but also due to the fact that it allowed him to stare at a certain gorgeous HT employee all day, every day. And neither of his two main co-workers would leave him alone because of this.

"Come on! Just talk to him already! It really can't be all _that_ hard," Hunk, one of Lance's co-workers and best friends, said as he restocked the shelves near the counter.

"Hunk, buddy, have you lost your mind? I can't do that! I'd die!" Lance said, draping himself dramatically over the counter. 

"Oh, please," A new voice said. It was Allura, the manager. She tossed her long white hair over her shoulder and leaned on the counter. "I normally wouldn't do this, but honestly I think it'd be hilarious." She waited until Lance stood up, before looking him dead in the eye. "You go in there and don't walk out until you get his phone number, and i'll give you a raise and a month's supply of face masks." 

"No fucking way... god.... how the hell am I supposed to refuse that!?" Lance whined, falling onto the counter again.

"You're not. That's the point!" Allura said with a smirk in Lance's direction. He remained silent for a moment, before standing up straight.  
"Fine. I'll do it. But if I get rejected I still expect a week's worth of face masks!" Lance said. He walked to the threshold of the store, and looked across the short distance between his store and Hot Topic. He could do this. He could talk to the mysterious boy he'd been crushing on for months now. He could do it.  
Right?


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AY WOULD YA LOOK AT THAT IM UPDATING FOR ONCE ITS LIKE MAGIC OR SOMETHING. AND ON LANCE'S BIRTHDAY TOO! 
> 
> Or I just finally got wattpad to work at home so its about to rain updates in here. Anyways, ive decided that im making Opposites Attract my main focus as of now (go check it out if you haven't!) so these chapters are going to be fairly short. Like i've said before, this fic is mostly comic relief and a way for me to vent when im emotional. What can I say, writing calms me! Enjoy this update!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> contrary to popular belief (because I never heckin update) I'M ALIVE

Lance stood on the threshold of Hot Topic, practically shaking. Yes, the boy he'd completely fallen for was in there, less than 15 feet away. But that was the problem. Lance had never gone so far as 15 inches into a Hot Topic, much less 15 feet. There was a reason he worked at Sephora. He could hear what sounded like a Panic! song playing inside. Deciding to take his chances after spotting some band shirts he liked, he took a deep breath and stepped in. 

The employee didn't look up. In fact, he walked into the stock room. 

 _Well shit there goes plan A of "he just notices you right away and conversation flows from there"_  Lance thought to himself. Each step further in was like a step into a nightmare. This store was very dark, unlike the almost blinding interior of Sephora. Almost everything was black, with patches of bright colors here and there on shirts or accessories. The band shirts were mostly in the back left, next to the stock room door and the pop figures. He quietly slipped past the cash register, which was basically a large square with one wall made of glass cabinets and the two sides serving as registers. The back was mostly open aside from a piece holding collectibles and other trinkets. The cashier was fairly short, with messy tufts of caramel hair and large glasses. They wore a baggy green shirt with an alien on it.  _Makes sense, this is Hot Topic,_  Lance thought. Finally he stood in front of the shirts. He looked at shirts ranging from older bands like Metallica and Pink Floyd to newer ones like Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco. He was about to grab a decent looking Panic! shirt when a song started playing. Lance didn't know his significance, but apparently it meant something to the employees. The second the first note was played, the cashier's head snapped up, and they pushed up onto the counter and screamed. 

"Keith get your emo ass out here it's our theme song!" They called. 

"I'd already be there if you ever cleaned up back here!" Keith replied, stepping out of the stock room. Lance couldn't help but stare as he joined the cashier behind the register and the two began dramatically singing the song together. 

His name was Keith. Lance turned back to the shirts, a blush covering his face. Keith had dark hair that was just long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail, and dark eyes, almost indigo in color. He was beautiful. 

And then Lance tripped over one of the supports for a rack of clothing and fell on his face. 

"Are you okay?" A foggy sounding voice asked. Lance opened his eyes and looked up to see a very fuzzy image of Keith. 

Then he passed out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lance... 
> 
> ok this chapter is mildly based on real events... the layout of the HT is modeled after the layout of the HT in PV Mall (idk why i live in Arizona its kinda shit) and the first time I went in no shit I tripped over a rack and almost fell on my face. 
> 
> Also if yall dont know what song Pidge and Keith freak out over then im disowning you as one of my beans. 
> 
> Shoutout to shiros_eyeliner for getting me to stop eating the cake I made for Lance's birthday long enough to write this. 
> 
> -Lee


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SHE UPDATES after like 13187417285 years

"Is he dead?"

"Pidge, If someone died because they tripped over a rack then that would be the funniest shit i've heard all week."

Lance could faintly register voices around him, and knew they were talking about him. He groaned, a massive headache blooming in his forehead. 

"He lives. Shit, we could've got some business if someone died in here. That's stereotypically emo, right?" A voice asks. Lance opens his eyes to see the short cashier peering over him while eating Nutella with a spoon, and the beautiful boy he came in here to see was right in front of him. 

"What the fuck happened?" Lance asked. 

"You tripped and fell. Here," The boy, Keith, said while offering his hand. Lance took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. For now, he'd blame his blush on feeling slightly sick from his fall. "Are you okay?" Keith asks him. 

"I think so. Just a little dizzy," Lance replies, sounding slightly woozy. 

"Do you need anything?" Keith asks him. 

"Your number."

"What?"

"What?" Lance echoes back, before putting a hand to his head in pain. Pidge is hiding a snicker behind a hand, while Keith is a million different shades of red. 

"Pidge, call your brother. As much as i'd like to get on with my life we can't just leave this guy like this, otherwise the blame goes on us."

"Way ahead of you. He'll be here any-"

"Did someone seriously fall over a rack? Tell me that wasn't a joke," A new voice says. Lance shifts his head a little to see a male figure that resembles the cashier walking in. 

"Matt, can you check this kid out real quick just to make sure he won't die or anything?" Keith says, peering through long pieces of dark hair that have fallen into his face. 

"Sure thing," Matt says, going over to Lance. "Hey, dude, can you hear me?" He asks.

"Yeah," Lance replies. 

"Good. Can you tell me your name and what happened before you fell?"

"I'm Lance McClain, and I was coming over hear from Sephora and tripped," He says. At the mention of Sephora, Pidge and Keith exchange a glance. Matt checks over a few more things with Lance, before turning to Keith and Pidge. 

"He's alright. Mild concussion but it should go away in a day or two. I told him to go home and rest," Matt says. 

"Thanks bro. Now go back to school," Pidge says, shoving him towards the door. 

"I'll leave but there's no point in going back to school now. I'm gonna go get fat off of cinnamon pretzel bites," Matt says, leaving. 

"I should probably go back too," Lance says, sadly. He hadn't even gotten a chance to really talk to Keith. 

"You work at Sephora, right?" Keith asks him. He turns, slightly too fast which makes him dizzy, but nods. "Any chance you could snag some eyeliner for me? My brother worships the stuff and he's nearly out."

"Why can't you come get it?" Lance asks. Keith turns his head slowly and whispers,

"No one can leave this place." 

"What?"

"Keith has been here pretty much every day the place is open for the past two years. He basically lives here. Don't mind him and his emo-ass muttering," Pidge says. Lance laughs. 

"Alright, sure. Which brand and type?" Lance asks. 

"I'll write it down since its so specific I butcher it every time. Gimme a sec," Keith says, disappearing into the back. Lance watches him go. 

"I've seen you, looking through the windows. What in here is so special that you'd stare in here from Sephora? Also, completely unrelated, but how are you eyes not like, dead from the light in there?" Pidge suddenly chimes in. 

"Heh, I guess i'm just used to it. And as for your first question... that's for me to know and you to find out," Lance says with a smirk just as Keith comes back. 

"Here. Just drop it off in here once you get it. I'll probably be here," Keith says. 

"Alrighty. Well, um. See you guys, I guess," Lance says. 

"See ya, Sephora boy!" Pidge calls as he leaves. 

\----------------------------------------------

When Lance gets back to Sephora, he is bombarded by his fellow staff members, but is too busy staring at the paper with the name of the eyeliner written on it. 

Beneath the messy scrawl, is a phone number. 

Lance smiles.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will I ever update my actual stories? NAH, let's just keep updating this piece of crap

"Lance, get your ass back here, go get that eyeliner, and impress your future boyfriend!" Allura screamed as Lance fell off of the Sephora counter that he had draped himself on. 

"I got his number, Allura! I can call him and text him and AGH!" Lance said. 

"Is he okay?" Hunk asked over Allura's shoulder. 

"He's lovesick. And if he wants a pay raise, he'll get off the floor and go get his boyfriend some eyeliner!" Allura said, raising her voice as she mentioned Lance's pay. Lance's head snapped up to look at Allura.

"Well excuse me for being in lo-"

"Am I interrupting something important?" A new voice asked. Three heads turned to see Keith, standing very uncomfortably just over the threshold of Sephora. 

"Keith!" Lance said, his voice cracking just a little as he struggled to get up off the floor. "What brings you here?" Lance said uncomfortably. 

"My brother just stopped by Hot Topic so I really need to get that eyeliner," Keith said with a small shrug towards Hot Topic. 

"I'll grab it for you!" Allura said, snatching the piece of paper out of Lance's hands and heading to the back. She poked her head out right after heading in. "Hunk, would you be a dear and start restocking the Tarte products?" She said sweetly with a glance towards Lance.

"Sure thing!" Hunk said, seeing what Allura was trying to do. 

Lance was left alone with Keith.

Well shit.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this in DECEMBER

"Um, are you okay?" Keith asked, giving Lance a worried look. Which was completely warranted, as Lance looked like he was about to puke but trying to smile through it. 

"Peachy!" Lance choked out in reply. The two stood there awkwardly making eye contact for about another 30 seconds before Lance had to ring someone up. Then it was back to very very awkward quiet. 

"It really is bright in here," Keith said. Lance had barely noticed Keith had started looking around the store. 

"I guess it is. You get used to it eventually," Lance said. 

"No you don't!" A muffled cry came from Hunk came from the back room. Lance rolled his eyes and laughed. 

"Do people really know the difference between all these products? Like, what's the difference between Too Faced and Fenty Beauty?" Keith said, picking up two of the nearest eyeshadow palettes and looking at them. Lance, sensing a disturbance in the makeup force, quickly ran over and took them out of his hands. 

"First, you just held makeup that is way too expensive for your inexperienced hands. Second, there is a difference, but if you let me go off on that rant you'll be here for a week," Lance said, a part of him secretly wishing he could spend a week straight with Keith. 

"You know," Keith said, looking around the store before turning back to Lance. "I've gotta say I prefer the aesthetic of my store better, but makeup seems interesting. Shiro wears it. Pidge wears it sometimes. Neither of them will let me get near it because i'm apparently 'too rough on the eyeshadow' according to Shiro. But it seems like it'd be neat to try out," Keith said. At that point he just had to pull his mullet-like hair into a small ponytail, which caused two things. One being the death of Lance internally, and the second being the small phrase that slipped out of Lance's mouth. 

"Iculdhlpyotrmkup," Lance barely choked out. 

"Come again?" Keith said, giving him a confused look. 

"I mean, if you want to, I could, you know, help you out with some makeup..." Lance said. It took Keith a few seconds to process the statement. 

"You... really?" Keith asked. 

"Yeah!"

"Alright, uh, when's your break? I'll tell Shiro they were out of his eyeliner today and come by tomorrow when you aren't working, if that's alright with you," Keith said. 

"Perfect!" Lance managed to stutter out. "My break is from 3 to 3:15, but i'm sure Allura won't mind if I take a little longer."

"Cool. See you then?" Keith said, beginning to head out. 

"Yep! See you!" Lance called after him. Keith smiled a little, before walking out and heading back to Hot Topic. 

Allura walked out of the back room, not even holding eyeliner. 

"And you doubt me, Lance," She said with a huff of laughter. "You've got an hour break tomorrow. Go get em, Lance."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we're up to date with what's on Wattpad ugh finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh yeah i'm not dead... shocker I know considering I never update... I swear none of my fics are abandoned. I just forget they exist and when I remember they exist I have writer's block. But after spending 2 days with my best friend rereading my old fanfics from like 5th grade and literally crying with laughter, i'm BACK IN THE MOOD Y'ALL.

_"Hands off the Fenty palette Jesus Christ that costs more than my hourly pay_!" Lance borderline screeched as he grabbed a few brushes from his makeup apron. Keith pulled his hand back slowly, slouching in the chair a little.

"Why is it so... uh... sparkly?" Keith asked as Lance pulled a few clips from his pocket to pin Keith's hair out of his face.

"Because it's Rhianna so it's hella extra but hella gorgeous," Lance said as he sprayed Keith's face with god knows what to prep it. "Now sit still so I can find your color," Lance said. After telling Allura his plan to help Keith with his makeup, she'd done two things. The first was nearly have a heart attack out of excitement. The second was agree to stay about an hour late after closing so the store was empty. Thus, the perfect setting for Lance to screech like a velociraptor over makeup products.

"I'll pretend that makes sense," Keith replied. He wasn't sure Lance heard him, though, as he was busy prowling the store for a good foundation.

"Got it!" Lance finally cried before running back over to Keith. He held a mysterious black container in his palm.

"What is that?" Keith asked.

"It's called foundation you spoon. Now this shade is called 'Keith's pasty-ass skin' by 'Why Are You So Pale' so it's perfect for you!"

"Okay I may not know much about makeup but I know that cannot be true," Keith said flatly.

"Of course it's not, silly. Now we ain't wasting the Fenty all over so this is Make Up For Ever but it's still fabulous," Lance said, opening the container and applying the foundation. He grabbed a beauty blender off the makeup counter and began blending it in.

"What the hell," Keith said, his voice muffled by Lance dabbing at his face with the blender.

"It's a beauty blender, come on Keith, get with the program," Lance said as he finished blending. "Okay, concealer time," He squinted a little, before grabbing a nearby product. "Let's just stick with my trusty Tarte Shape Tape for you," He said, opening the product.

"But it's not tape?" Keith said, almost as a question, as he looked at the product.

"Of course it's not. And before you ask, no, I don't know why it's called that," Lance said, applying and blending it in. "Okay. Time to set it!" Lance said, grabbing a container that to Keith looked suspiciously like cocaine.

"Is that even supposed to go on your skin?" Keith asked.

"It's not drugs, even though it looks like it. It helps your foundation stay so it doesn't shift. Noe close your eyes so nothing gets in them," Lance said. Keith flinched at first, but eventually got used to the powder. He reached up to lightly touch his face.

"It feels like... really heavy but also soft?" Keith said.

"That's how it should feel. Now don't touch! We gotta bronze and contour! Where is my Kat Von D bronzer?" Lance muttered to himself before grabbing some more products.

"Is all this stuff even necessary?" Keith made the mistake of asking.

" _Yes_!" Lance screeched again, before proceeding to bronze and contour Keith's face. "How are your brows so nice?" Lance said as he lightly drew over them. "I barely have to do anything!" He stepped back, touching the edge of his brush to his cheek as he thought about what to do next. "Now... i'm thinking... something red... with some sparkle... wings so sharp they could cut a bitch... perfect!" Lance said, grabbing a Morphe palette and some more brushes. He leaned down, and Keith was in this moment thankful for the foundation hiding his blush. "Eyes closed," Lance said quietly. Keith closed his eyes, and felt the brush begin to move across his eyelids. Every now and then he could feel Lance's soft exhale across his cheek. "Eyes open," Lance said after a few minutes.

"Are they already done?" Keith asked.

"We're getting there. Close em!" Lance said. "Now, don't flinch. I'm applying liner and this shit is liquid and if it gets messed up we may have to start over. Then lashes, which are gonna feel kinda cold and hella weird but trust me that's normal," Lance said. Lightly smoothing Keith's skin with his fingertips, he applied the eyeliner. Keith flinched a little when Lance glued the lashes on, but otherwise was fine. At least, until he opened his eyes.

"Oh shit this feels weird," Keith said, blinking a few times.

"Yeah, it does the first time. You'll get used to it though. Now, are you ready for my favorite part?" Lance said, practically jumping up and down.

"What's your favorite part?" Keith asked.

"Highlighter!" Lance practically screamed. Keith flinched at the noise. "We're going all out. Fenty Beauty time. Prepare to shine like the fucking sun, Keith," Lance said, swiping his brush over the shimmering powder before applying it to Keith's face.

"Can I see?" Keith asked, wondering what he looked like at this point.

"Not yet. We've still gotta do lips. Now... I know what color I want but what brand..." Lance asked himself as he searched the store. He quickly returned empty-handed. "Nope. There's only one lipstick for you and it too is Fenty," Lance said, grabbing a container of luscious looking red liquid lipstick from the nearby Fenty display.

"I'm guessing that's your favorite brand?" Keith asked.

"It's too gorgeous. I can't resist. Now, soft lips. No scowling!" Lance said. Keith tried not to move as Lance meticulously colored in his lips with the applicator. After a few tense moments of extreme lipstick-applying, he stepped back. "Setting spray. Gotta set this. Eyes closed," He said as he grabbed a bottle off the counter. Keith felt his face get lightly misted with something, opening his eyes once it stopped. Lance was still staring at him. The look in his wide eyes was unreadable.

"Lance?" Keith asked. He snapped out of whatever thought he was lost in.

"Ready to see?" He asked Keith, who nodded. "Alright. One, two, three!" Lance said as he spun the chair around.

Keith didn't even recognize himself. He was handsome.

No.

He was goddamn _beautiful_.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case anyone wants to draw the beautiful keith in this chapter....
> 
> Foundation: Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation in the shade Y215  
> Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape in the shade Fair   
> Eyes: Morphe Palette 3502 with shades Fire, Ruby, and Heat  
> Eyeliner/Lashes: No particular brand just winged to the gods and luscious af lashes  
> Lipstick: Fenty Beauty in the shade Uncensored   
> Highlighter: Fenty Beauty in the shade Killawatt   
> Brows: Keith's usual brows since they already beaut
> 
> for references I just googled pictures of all of the products. Considering I don't own the shape tape the shade may need to be Light instead of Fair but either one should work. 
> 
> If anyone draws him, please send me the image! Either DM it to heckingcoldoutside on Instagram or email it to stereotypicalteenager.official@gmail.com

**Author's Note:**

> I PROMISE ALL FUTURE CHAPTERS WILL BE MUCH LONGER!!!! I promise. I really just wanted to get a base up before I forgot this entire plot line. Anyways I hope you guys are liking this so far! Comments and Kudos always appreciated. Love ya my beans!


End file.
